I was just reading article by Bonnie Burstow about the TTC. She talks about the lack of air conditioning in subway cars on line 2. The TTC estimates that “20-25 per cent of the air conditioning on the trains are affected“. According to Burstow who is a frequent TTC user and who has done some mini experiments, this number is actually much higher.
I just saw a news report on TV about a TTC passenger throwing coffee at a TTC bus driver. I can understand people are frustrated by the service delays and fare hikes experienced on the TTC but don’t take it out on TTC workers. You are venting your anger at the wrong people. The people you should be angry at are the politicians who are not providing adequate funding for the TTC. You should also be angry at tax cheats who hide their money in tax havens. When these individuals and corporations don’t pay their fair share of taxes, there is less money available to be spent on public transportation. There is an estimated $7 billion to be recovered from tax havens.
Money can be recovered from tax havens. According to figures from the Canada Revenue Agency acquired by Senator Percy E. Downe through access to information laws, a 2005 investment of $30 million in the CRA yielded a fiscal impact of $2.5 billion up to 2009. The U.K. has recovered more than $3.5 billion since 2010.
Politicians have to work within budget constraints. That is why it is important to focus on collecting all taxes that is owed to the government of Canada.
The TTC receives funding of $0.89 per ride which is the lowest in North America.1 Philadelphia receives $2.51 per ride. Washington D.C. receives $2.32 per ride, Boston receives $1.92 per ride.
The next time you are stuck in a bus with no air conditioning, don’t get angry at the bus driver. Contact John Tory, Premier Wynn and Justin Trudeau and let them know you want more funding for the TTC. Also contact Justin Trudeau and tell him to crack down on tax cheats who use tax havens to hide their money. Read my blog entry talking about Trudeau not being serious about cracking down on tax havens.
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